Once home to novelist Jane Austen, Bath’s honey-hued terraced streets are rich with history; No.15 Great Pulteney embraces the old and adds a dash of modern wit – murals, mish-mashed patterns and modern art are an exercise in charming (Non)Sense and Sensibility. The jewel-encrusted, bar serves up endlessly inventive cocktails, plus sandwiches worthy of any society lady’s afternoon tea. Romantic suites – jazzed up with plexiglass furniture – are ideal for imagining yourself as a literary heroine (the king-size, cashmere-soft beds aren’t bad for flopping into, either). After a few days here, you’ll be feeling all the Pride, and none of the Prejudice.

Need to know

Rooms

Check–Out

Rates

Price information

If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.

Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (GBP101.67), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.

More details

Rates include a Continental, full-English or à la carte breakfast: our favourites include the organic bircher muesli with honeycomb and the smoked Wiltshire bacon on fresh sourdough.

Also

Ian and Christa are passionate about supporting local designers, and their influence can be seen all over the hotel: Woodhouse and Law and the Rossiters of Bath interpret the hotel’s mantra – ‘luxury for the curious’ – in the rooms. Keep an eye out for Martin Hulbert’s Lost Earring chandelier, crafted from thousands of lone earrings.

At the hotel

Free WiFi throughout; on-site parking (£20 a night, or get a street parking permit for £12 a night; space is limited and subject to availability); laundry service; access to a generous larder with free drinks and snacks. In rooms: internet-enabled LED TV with Sky and free sports and movie channels; tea- and Nespresso coffee-making kit.

Our favourite rooms

The rooms at No.15 are individually decorated, either by owners Ian and Christa, or artists and designers they admire. The Pulteney Junior Suites are our favourite: thought up by Martin Hulbert – the designer responsible for Smith-approved hotels Chewton Glen, the Grove and Coworth Park – they’re the image of romantic, understated elegance. The marble washstands, high ceilings and vast sash windows are straight from a Jane Austen classic, and the plexiglass furniture adds a whimsically modern touch.

Spa

Subterranean Spa 15 is set in the stone vaults below the hotel; take the waters – as one does in Bath – in the large cedar hot tub, barrel-shaped sauna and steam room. Take your pick of holistic treatments (all use ila and Natura Bissé unguents) that include facials, classic massage and body scrubs. We’d start with the essential-oil laden top-to-toe Himalayan treatment, the deep-cleansing cure facial and the bespoke full body massage. After your treatment of choice, unwind in the Retreat by the open fire while you sip on herbal tea (or something fizzier if you prefer).

Packing tips

Aspiring Lizzie Bennets should pack cosmopolitan gear for sightseeing – smart skinny jeans, soft tailoring and ballet pumps will go down well (though you needn’t bother with a corset). Mr Darcys should aim for gentlemanly chic in chinos, blazers and collared shirts.

Also

The hotel has a lift to all six floors, and is suitable for guests with mobility issues; one room has also been specifically adapted.

Pet&dash;friendly

The hotel is happy to host up to two pups in some rooms (excluding the Cosy Double rooms) as long as they’re fairly small and well-behaved. There’s a charge of £15 a night. Just let the hotel know when booking. See more pet-friendly hotels in Bath.

Children

Children of all ages are welcome at No.15 – the hotel can provide baby cots, building blocks and teddy bears – but there aren’t any babysitters or kids clubs to provide distraction.

Food and Drink

Top Table

When Cafe 15 isn’t open for dinner, wend your way to the bar early and bag the table by the fire for a G&T and the polenta chips.

Dress Code

Best of British, with a unique twist to match your idiosyncratic surroundings: tweeds, heritage cashmere and pussy-bow blouses will go down nicely, jazzed-up with unusual jewellry.

Hotel restaurant

Run by chef Dan Miles (previously of Gainsborough Bath Spa), Cafe 15 is open daily for breakfast and lunch and serves modern, British fare: think ham hock, apple and dandelion salad; mushrooms on toast; and baked Tunworth cheese. Like the rest of the hotel, the restaurant is bursting with curios, collections and contemporary art – shelves lining the walls are stacked with blown-glass trinkets and multi-coloured, antique chemists’ bottles. Don’t forget to stop by for afternoon tea in the sitting room, where the chicken sandwiches with apricot crumble and crispy skin are the stuff of local legend, and the list of brews – all served in silver tea pots – is as long as a Georgian petticoat (try the Gunpowder Green and Organic Jade Sword, if you’re feeling adventurous).

Hotel bar

It’s easy to lose an afternoon in Bar 15, a pastel-coloured treasure trove groaning with trinkets: glass tables display vintage jewellry and an accent wall behind the bar is lined in scalloped, leather scales, fashioned to look like exotic fish. The cocktail menu is vast – 52 tipples long printed on a deck of hotel-personalised playing cards, so you can have a game of whist, Austen-style, while you wait. Each drink is a mini performance in itself; served in a test tube, a carved-wood bowl, or a smoking, blown-glass goblet. We’re particularly partial to an Eastern Promises, a herby, lime-infused concoction served in a blue-china faux-urn. If you’re peckish, raid the bar's menu of light snacks and sharing boards.

Room service

Location

Address

No.15 Great Pulteney

15 Great Pulteney Street

Bath

BA2 4BS

United Kingdom

Planes

Bristol Airport is a 45-minute drive from the hotel (www.bristolairport.co.uk). If you’re flying internationally, go to Heathrow, from which it’s a two-hour car journey to Bath. The hotel can organise transfers from both airports (from Bristol, transfers start at £40; from Heathrow, prices are available on request).

Trains

The hotel’s closest railway station is Bath Spa, just a five-minute drive from the hotel. The station is well-served by Great Western Railways, and direct services frequently run from London, Bristol and Cardiff. The hotel can organise transfers from £5.

Automobiles

You won’t need a car for exploring the city, which is compact and best discovered on foot. If you’d like a set of wheels, there are car-hire booths at Bristol Airport; follow the A368 to reach the hotel. If you’re coming from London, the journey along the M4 will take just under three hours. The hotel does have on-site parking, subject to availability, for an extra charge.

Worth getting out of bed for

Best known for its hot springs and 18th-century Georgian architecture, honey-hued Bath has long been a destination for socialites, artists and people-to-know. Stroll along Royal Crescent – arguably the city’s most famous locale – to get a feel for the architecture, and visit the Holburne Museum (just minutes from the hotel) for a dose of culture: you’ll find Dutch masters, fine English beadwork and intricate tapestry housed there. For an afternoon’s pleasurable card-swiping, wander down Walcot Streetin the centre of town to browse independent craft, pottery and antique shops. For a spot of rejuvenation (tired, sightseeing feet can only take you so far), head to the iconic Roman Baths, where the spectacular columned courtyard is lit in the evenings by flickering torchlight. Those left slightly miffed that you can no longer ‘take the cure’ at this historic spot should make their way to Thermae Bath Spa, where the mineral-rich waters are open to the public for a dip.

Local restaurants

The relaxed and convivial Sam’s Kitchen on Walcot Street hosts lively music nights and a supper club, serving their deli-style menu of internationally-inspired titbits: cauliflower tabbouleh, red mullet with tapenade, and braised short ribs. The Mint Room on Lower Bristol Road has the best Indian fare in the city; try the palak kofta and the lamb rogan josh. For classically British fine dining, head to the Allium Brasserie at the Abbey Hotel on North Parade. No.15’s sister property, their focus is on traditional (and perfectly crafted) dishes such as chicken liver parfait, lightly-smoked salmon and scotch quail’s eggs.

Reviews

Anonymous review

Every hotel featured is visited personally by members of our team, given the Smith seal of approval, and then anonymously reviewed. As soon as our reviewers have returned from this Georgian hotel in upmarket Bath and unpacked their well-thumbed copies of Austen and meadow flower-scented candles, a full account of their old-world English break will be with you. In the meantime, to whet your wanderlust, here's a quick peek inside No.15 Great Pulteney…

If Jane Austen had been able to stay at No.15 Great Pulteney during her tenure in Bath, she might have churned out even more classic novels: after all, where better to pen a bestseller than by the fire, sipping rum-spiced tea cocktails? If you fancy finding your own literary inspiration, No.15 – with its cosy bar, modern café and quirky decor – is the ideal space in which to hole up with a drink, typewriter and cucumber sandwich in hand. If your pursuits err less on the side of bookish and more on the side of luxurious indulgence (and whose don’t?), you’ll find the romantic, individually decorated rooms just to your taste: pastel-coloured, king-size beds are made for flopping into at the end of a day’s shopping and sightseeing. Peckish? Head down to the hotel’s secret Larder, where the red Smeg fridge hides all manner of tasty surprises (we won’t tell if you won’t…)

The Guestbook

Whenever you book a stay at a Smith Hotel with us, we’ll invite you to review it when you get back. Read what other Smith members had to say in No.15 Great Pulteney’s Guestbook below.

We loved

Friendly welcome, comfortable and quirky decor and atmosphere, great location and good value for central Bath. Sotto Sotto – a good Italian restaurant.

Don’t expect

Lots of car parking – if driving, arrive early, in a small car!

Rating

ByAndrew, BlackSmith

Stayed on 13 Apr 2018

We loved

Beautiful artwork in each of the rooms, comfy beds, cool interiors, lovely spa and a larder where you can help yourself to complimentary brownies, drinks and fruit! Great customer service and spa.

Rating

ByCelia, BlackSmith

Stayed on 1 Apr 2018

We loved

We loved another great stay at this quirky hotel. The rooms are spacious and comfortable with bathrooms to match. The larder is well stocked too.

Don’t expect

Don't expect to get into the spa unless you have prebooked.

Rating

ByCatherine, BlackSmith

Stayed on 23 Mar 2018

We loved

Attention to detail. There was thought in every wall and aspect to the interior of this hotel. I spent time just wandering the hotel to see what else I was going to find; captivating. Staff were thoughtful, attentive and helpful without being overbearing. Lovely welcoming feel to this small hotel focused on guest happiness. We only had breakfast which was of a high standard. Games in the drawing room/bar including packs of hotel cards designed around cocktails and you can order any of them! Ladies, even the hotel toilets are a visual spectacle. The Hideout Suite. Wow! If you can find an excuse to treat yourself to a night here...don't hesitate...book. It will not disappoint. We loved: parking so close to the suite, having our own staircase, being so close to the spa, not being overlooked, living room facilities, music and the bathroomm. Thank you to all the No.15 staff.

Local reccomendations: a visit to Bath Abbey including the Tower tour – great view; very interesting. Gluten free treats at Rosario's cafe. Sotto Sotto restaurant. No.1 crescent if you like a bit of British history; we thought it a little pricey though.

Rating

ByHeather, BlackSmith

Stayed on 5 Mar 2018

We loved

The beautiful decor, and the friendly and welcoming staff. Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen is a must for fantastic vegetarian or vegan dining.

Don’t expect

Don't expect to regret your stay!

Rating

ByCaroline, BlackSmith

Stayed on 13 Nov 2017

We loved

Easy access on foot to the city centre. I loved the apothecary dining room (my father was a pharmacist). Breakfast was good. We had a wonderful meal at The Chequers pub, an easy walk away towards the Royal Crescent.

Don’t expect

On site parking.

Rating

ByPhilippa, BlackSmith

Stayed on 31 Oct 2017

We loved

The hotel is really nicely decorated–- very Instagramable. The decor is quirky and unique but also high end.

Don’t expect

Don't expect privacy in the rooms. Like at all. I was with one of my best friends and it was still awkwardly open. We upgraded to a suite that was pictured on the site and the room we got was NOTHING like what we stayed in. It was so disappointing. We were there for a girls weekend and purposefully got a larger room with a couch and fully separate bathroom, and instead had a bed with a chair, the bathtub IN the room and absolutely no separation to the shower area. It was very open. We also read a review touting the slippers (there were none) and the communal mini-bar outside the rooms that was basically empty save someone's leftover food, which was gross. The minibar area was dirty and not restocked. This has the potential to be a great hotel but it's not there yet.

Rating

ByKerry, BlackSmith

Stayed on 21 Oct 2017

We loved

Friendly staff and the cocktail menu, but best of all was the pantry!

Don’t expect

Views from the 3rd floor. They are hampered by the balustrade. I'd have liked more choice at breakfast, but maybe I'm spoilt. Would have liked to know that the restaurant was closed on Sunday. Info in our room said open daily. We had planned to eat there on our last night (a Sunday) and were disappointed to find it was closed.

Rating

ByLinda, BlackSmith

Stayed on 20 Oct 2017

We loved

How invested the staff were in our enjoyment whilst we stayed and how they went above and beyond to support us. Thermae spa, the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and Bath Comedy Walk are all within 5 minute walks.

Rating

ByJake, BlackSmith

Stayed on 10 Oct 2017

We loved

This was a perfect boutique hotel for a mini break in Bath. The decor is beautiful and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The staff were amazing and so helpful. I highly recommend the hotel. It's an easy walk to the centre and in a great location.

Rating

ByAlexandra, BlackSmith

Stayed on 9 Sep 2017

We loved

Everything about this boutique hotel is fantastic. The interior design is not only quirky and unique but everything has been thought of. Even in the cosy room – which is small – every piece of furniture, the bathroom and the fixtures are beautifully crafted. Each piece is a discovery yet practical and not fussy or out of place. Every amenity is provided to make guests feel at ease – the addition of a 'ladder' at night for when guests feel the need for a sugar intake is a particularly lovely touch. From the individual murals in each room with accompanying artist bios to the kitsch tea cups and antique tea spoons to the innovative clothes hooks with accompanying fur hats, this place is a delight.

Rating

ByJudith, BlackSmith

Stayed on 20 Aug 2017

We loved

The hotel, the staff and the location – it was luxury itself!

Don’t expect

Parking so close to the road. Looks like we got charged for breakfast for one of the days, although it was included in the price – will contact hotel to check on this. Building work to be going on but we understand it needs to happen. When we asked for things it took ages and they didn't replace the toiletries for the second day; we were paying well over 300 per night!

Rating

ByTom, BlackSmith

Stayed on 12 Aug 2017

We loved

The quirky décor and use of 'collectors items' in themed ways all around the hotel. Had a great meal at Chequers gastropub and a fun evening at funky bar Sub13.

Don’t expect

Room service.

Rating

BySally, BlackSmith

Stayed on 11 Aug 2017

We loved

The welcome from the staff and the comfort in the bedroom and bathroom. The larder was a treat too!

Rating

ByCatherine, BlackSmith

Stayed on 9 Aug 2017

We loved

The hotel is amazing, lots of quirky displays everywhere, staff are friendly and helpful, great breakfast and the biggest bath towels we have had in any hotel in the world. Close to the centre of Bath. Loved it – a must stay.

Don’t expect

A "run of the mill" hotel.

Rating

ByCatherine, BlackSmith

Stayed on 15 Jul 2017

We loved

Loved the decor and the cocktails! Quaint little place.

Don’t expect

I would not recommend this for families – our 'junior suite' was super tiny. Even the bathroom was unbearably small – and we are plenty used to small European rooms. Also, we did not receive the 'luxury candle' to take home that was supposed to be included. We did receive 2 glasses of prosecco but that was after we got stuck in the elevator when we checked in.

Rating

ByAbby, BlackSmith

Stayed on 5 Jun 2017

We loved

Bedroom is great, and the breakfast nice. Service is great.

Rating

ByLogan, BlackSmith

Stayed on 29 May 2017

We loved

This hotel has thought of every detail, from the products in the stunning bathroom to a Dyson hair dryer. It's also so easy to walk in to Bath City Centre

Don’t expect

Easy parking

Rating

ByBarry, BlackSmith

Stayed on 7 May 2017

We loved

Great central location, interesting decor, very comfy beds and pillows. Love the bathroom. Sotto Sotto is an amazing little Italian restaurant, but you need to book well in advance!

Rating

ByMichael, BlackSmith

Stayed on 1 May 2017

We loved

The huge comfy bed, the delicious breakfast, the quirky décor and the cool, well-staffed cocktail bar. Walking along the canal to Bathminster for a pub lunch - perfect Sunday relaxation.

Rating

ByHolly, BlackSmith

Stayed on 25 Mar 2017

We loved

Friendly staff – and a free upgrade! Breakfast was nice too.

Don’t expect

A 'partypartyparty' atmosphere... this is the perfect hotel for getting away from it all!